Combined hold-down and tear-off strap



Patented Jan. 25, 1944 COMBINED HOLD-DOWN AND TEAR-OFF STRAP Leo F. Worth, Two Rivers, Wis., assignor to Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Two Rivers,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 12, 1942, Serial No. 426,435

('01. isons) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined ho d,- down and tear-off strap moreparticularly for physicians examining tables or the like in which a sheet of paper is drawn onto the padded upper surface of the table rest member from a suitably mounted supply roll and upon which the patient may recline thus avoiding direct contact by the patient with the rest member surface and assuring enhanced cleanliness and sanitation, it being the practice to draw from the supply roll a new and fresh length of paper for each patient;

One of the problems encountered in this practice has been the retention of the free end of the paper usually at the foot of the table and the separating of the old length of paper from the new by simple means. The present invention aimsto provide improved means forboth of these purposes embodied in a unitary appurtenance which is relatively inexpensive and inconspicuous.

This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an examining table with the present invention applied thereto; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged skeletonized view of the foot end of the table shown in Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I indicates the base portion of a physicians examining table upon the top of which is shown supported a pair of padded rest members II and I2. In accordance with one common practice, the rest member I2 at the foot end of the table may be stationary thereon and the rest member I I may be hinged to the rest member I 2 as at I3 to swing toward and from the table top. A lifter rod mechanism, here indicated somewhat diagrammatically at M and more particularly shown and described in the co-pending Froelich application Serial No. 407,555, filed August 20, 1941, may be employed for adjusting the angle of the rest member II with respect to the table top and to the other rest member I2.

Also as described and broadly claimed in the Demcak Patent No. 2,267,973, issued December 30, 1941, the head of the rest member I i is desirably upwardly recessed as at I5 providing a chamber opening into the under side of the rest member for the reception of a paper supply roll I6 from which may be drawn successive lengths ll of paper covering for therest'members, the paper extending about the head of the table from the recess I 5 and to a point adjacent the extremity I8 of the foot.

In this instance the paper supply roll I6 is shown carried on a roller I9, the ends. of which are received in open slots 20 of brackets 2|, only oneofwhich is here shown, mounted on the inner sides of thewalls of therest member I I as by screws 22. A leaf spring 2 3, one end of which is secured as at 24 to thehead piece 25 of the rest member has its free end. 26 pressed by its own inherent resilience against the paper supplyroll I6 to maintain the ends of the roller I9 in the slots 20 as theroll rotates and the paper is'drawn therefrom. The leaf spring 23 is desirably. of sufiicient flexibility so that it will yield to permit a full roll of paper to beinserted into its mounting as described and so that, it will follow the periphery of the roll as the roll decreases in size.

Turning now more particularly to the present invention and a detailed description of the embodiment thereof herein shown, attention is directed to the numeral 21 which indicates the device generally, the latter being in the form of a band or strap disposedabout the extremity of the rest member I2. It will be observed thatthe strap 21 is here illustrated as of so-called endless form in that it is a substantially permanently closed loop which may be applied to the rest member as by slipping it over the extremity Ill of the rest member to encircle the latter at a point say a few inches spaced from this extremity. 1 In order that the strap may be expanded for this purpose and so that it may thereafter be held in close proximity with the rest member, the invention contemplates that it comprises a resiliently extensible portion and a flexible but substantiatlly non-extensible portion having its ends connected to the ends of the extensible portion and adapted to lie about the rest member held in close proximity therewith by the extensible portion.

In carrying out this concept, one portion of the strap is here shown in the form of a relatively narrow strip of rubber-webbing or other elastic fabric 28 having extensibility in the direction of its length but not transversely. -Its ends are folded upon themselves as at 29 for reinforcement and stitched or stapled as at 30 to the ends of the other portion 3! of the strap. This other portion 3!, is, following the present invention, in the form of a flexible (in a plane extending in the direction of its length) but non-elastic strip of material, desirably, as here indicated, of a synthetic composition such as a cellulose derivative somewhat like the material commonly known as Celluloid or plastic. Thus, it is a relatively hard meral 32, will in practice generally be much longer :han here shown, and may infact be as long as he table top itself. Since the strip 3| is desirably relatively thin, its edge 33 is relatively sharp and provides a very satisfactory cutting edge. Due to the desirable-thinness and transparency of the strap portion.3 l ,the latter is advantageously relatively inconspicuous so that the upholstery of the rest member may be seen therethrough and the strip partakes of the color and character of the upholstery Where it overlies the latter. Furthermore, where the strip 3 l overlies the paper sheet I], the paper sheet may be seen therethrough and the strip itself is substantially imperceptible. Also, since the paper may be seen therethrough, the physician may readily determine where the free edge of the paper lies so as to be sure that there is suflicient of the paper under the strip to effect a good hold-down action of the strap with respect to the paper sheet.

While the free end of the paper is held in place by the strap 21 against accidental displacement, a very slight forward movement of the paper effected manually willproject a suflicient amount thereof to provide a finger hold for drawing the paper along the. rest members to produce afresh length thereof. It will be understood thatwhen the paper is initially drawn from the paper supply roll and extended from the rest members, the free leading edge thereof must be manipulated by hand to go between the rest member and the strap 21, but that thereafter the paper is drawn along under the strap and torn off against the edge thereof next adjacentto the foot end of the table, so that no subsequent manipulation of the paper to get it under the strap is necessary until the roll of paper I 6 is exhausted and a new roll is required to be inserted.

The strip 28 together with its fastenings 30 to the strip 3| is preferably concealed on the underside of the rest member, while the exposed trip 3| may be readily cleaned and kept free from stains or discoloration.

- So constructed and arranged, the device 21 may either be furnished with the table itself as an initial appurtenance thereto or be purchased separately by the physician and readily applied thereto himself without the use of any tools or rearrangement of the rest members, particularly as in cases such as shown in Fig. 1 where the foot extremity of the rest member I2 projects somein the direction of its length whereby to adapt itself to the contour of the padded rest member but having transverse rigidity whereby to provide a cutting edge for the sanitary covering retained on the rest member thereby, and elastic means connected with each end of the strip and disposed beneath the rest member for resiliently retaining the strip in close proximity with the upper surface of the rest member. 2. A nold-down and tear-off strap for a sanitary aper covering for the padded rest member of a physicians examining table or the like comprising a non-elastic strip of transparent plasticlike material readily fiexible in a plane extending in the direction of its length whereby to adapt itself to the contour of the padded rest member but having transverse rigidity whereby to provide a cutting edge, and elasticmeans connected with each end of the strip and disposed beneath the rest member for resiliently retaining the strip in close proximity with the upper surface of the rest member.

I LEO F. WORTH. 

